Clarence turns her head from side to side to find the section where storybooks are stored. When she arrives, she realized that she forgot the title of the book. Oswin has said it to her before, that’s for sure, but it probably slips her mind.
Her face turns sullen. She is curious about what will happen at the end of the story. She badly wants to read it, but Clarence just can’t read all the books held here.
“Miss, are you alright?”
The bookstore staff asked as she noticed Clarence has her head down. It appears that something is bothering her. Clarence nodded her head slowly as a reply.
“If there is anything I can do to help, please don’t be afraid to tell me.”
The bookstore staff said while putting books by the nearest bookshelf. Clarence carefully opened her mouth.
“Uhm.. have you read a lot of books?”
” Me? Yes. I can’t say exactly, but I am certain I read more than the others. That too allows me to recommend books here for them.”
Must be like recommending weapons, Clarence thought.
” I’ve been looking for a book, but I don’t know the title.”
Clarence said in a small voice. Feeling embarrassed as she told the truth about the situation, but the staff just smiled at her and was rather pleased to help her.
“If that’s so, then allow me to help you. Is there any name you remembered, or what’s the story about?”
” There were a knight and a dragon, does it reminds you of something?”
“Hmm…Let’s see.”
Clarence felt that information wouldn’t be enough, so she tries to give out some clues to the bookstore staff.
” The knight is not from a noble family or anything, so he disguised himself as one and took part in the quest to kill the dragon, then he is offered to be one of the kingdom’s knights for killing the dragon, but soon another problem occurs…”
Soon the students and scholars nearby began to listen to her story.
“Ah, I know that. That is, no, that’s not it! ”
Suddenly, the scholar who was holding a thick book walks back and forth to the hallway. He shook his hand, wondering, thinking what that book could be.
” oh, I have read that too, but the title seems to be on the tip of my tongue. The son of the sick nobleman will try to steal the dragon’s heart later. ”
Clarence passionately nodded her head. Something like that occurs in the story
” oh, I remembered that scene. The book is not just one volume, right? I remembered I was too obsessed reading it. I mess up my exam. ”
Another student added and was excited to join the conversation. Base on how natural the conversation took off, it seems that the people here always help each other. What an interesting shop, indeed Clarence thought.
The bookstore staff who was silently listening to them suddenly stretched her long fingers and started to walk along the bookshelf. When she finds what she was looking for, her fingers stop at one book.
Clarence unconsciously muttered a surprised ‘ah’ when she recognizes the book the bookstore staff is pointing at. The title of the book is The tale of the hero, Adrian. The same title of the book she heard.
“Oh, I think this was the right one…. but why is there no volume 1?”
The bookstore staff looks around for a moment then give Clarence a sad smile after.
” I’m sorry, but we only got volume 2. Would you still want to buy this?”
Clarence took the volume 2 from the bookstore staff and looked at its content for a moment. Fortunately, the beginning of the second volume is the knight’s quest to kill the dragon.
“I know the contents of the first volume, so it’s okay. I’ll just buy this one.”
” That would be lovely but… will this still be okay?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’ll help you with the bill over there.”
While the staff was guiding Clarence to the counter, she mouthed a couple of thank you to the scholar and student who help her. Her eyes fell to the book in her hands. Her first storybook.
Clarence closed her eyes for a moment, tightly embracing the book with her arms. The smell of ink and paper was spreading all through her body. Though it was strange to see herself picking a book in the middle of the day, it still makes her heart pounds.
Oh maybe, this was Anna’s blessing. Clarence thought as she remembers her words.
” If there is any happiness left for me Ms. Knight or rather to my best friend Clarence Holton. I will give it to you. So if you happen to come across it. Don’t be surprised, okay? Don’t run away from it. That is my gift. It was all I can give you.”
***
Oswin closed his eyes for a moment, tired with the fuss Dale & Kenneth have created. His neat combed blonde hair is turning golden by the sunlight peeking through the windows.
” Perhaps.”
After hearing Prince Oswin’s voice, Kenneth & Dale immediately stop and returned their gazes to the prince’s blue eyes. He might be a bit dense at some point, but he is still intelligent and receive the training to be the country’s next heir. So he might have a solution.
” I don’t think she is out of the capital yet.”
” Ha! Are you kidding? We both know how fast she gets her work done. If she wants to pass the borders tomorrow, she can do so as long as she pleases.”
The wizard of the tower, Kenneth replied with full sarcasm, but Oswin shooks his head.
” I have faith in the basics. Clarence Holton is a very cautious person. And I know full well that she won’t go without acquiring supplies first, and that is how she is. ”
“The capital has a lot of goods not accessible to other provinces, so that might be true. ”
The knight commander Phillip Wilkins agreed and added.
” I will command the knights at the wall to report to me right away if they ever see a blonde female knight passing by. And I will also check the records of those who go in and out of the gates. ”
A blond female knight. It is rare for a woman to be a knight, as well as not all of them, are blonde. These descriptions are specific to Clarence so letting everyone know this information will give them the highest possibility to find her.
Oswin ordered the fastest footed messengers to deliver this information to the knights.
* * *
Clarence walked diligently, even if she was out of breath, she didn’t breathe through her mouth. She was satisfied with the tiny air passing through her nose. The habit Clarence got when she was in the army. The less air she breaths, the faster she can go towards her destination. Then suddenly, her feet stop moving.
‘Why am I in a hurry?’ she asks herself. She is not in any operative mission now. She has a destination, yes, but it was only to move efficiently without losing directions.
“Ha!”
Clarence filled her chest with air, feeling at ease again and turned her head to look where she is.
She was too focused on what she is doing. She didn’t realize the number of trees in front of her.
Clarence suddenly remembered Dale and their last conversation of the night after the battlefield.
It was very late at night. Everyone is busy sleeping on their bed. The stars on the sky were so vivid, like a milky way spreading through the night sky. Clarence and Dale are sitting on the wet floor with their backs against each other.
「Knight Holton, do you like trees?」
Dale asked out of the blue. Talking to someone while on guard duty is prohibited, but Clarence had no authority to stop him. And there was no way she could avoid a minister’s question either, so Clarence hesitated for a moment. Thinking of the right answer to his question, but she couldn’t grasp anything. She didn’t know what to say.
「I haven’t think about it.」
「Then do you like the sky?」
「I haven’t think about it.」
「Then how about the colorful flowers do you like it?」
「That too, it didn’t cross my mind」
「It didn’t cross your mind, I see.」
Clarence could have replied a simple yes to stop the conversation, but she didn’t do so. These were her honest feelings and, indeed, this trivial thing didn’t cross her mind. She was grateful to Dale’s efforts as he didn’t ask for more.
Suddenly, Clarence was reminded of something. Dale’s questions brought back memories.